The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is actively investigating the spread of a parasitic illness known as cyclosporiasis in the United States. To date, there have been 145 reported cases across 17 states, with 20 individuals requiring hospitalization due to severe symptoms.

Health authorities are focusing their efforts on several clusters of cases identified in New York, Illinois, and Texas. Among the affected states, New York has seen the most significant impact, with estimates indicating between 31 and 80 people have fallen ill since the outbreak’s inception.

The ongoing outbreak has also affected other states, including Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin. These cases are being closely monitored by public health teams.

Cyclosporiasis is a type of food poisoning caused by a parasite. People typically contract it through consuming contaminated food or water. Although cyclosporiasis is not generally life-threatening, those infected may experience severe symptoms such as cramps, nausea, fatigue, and vomiting. The most prevalent symptom is watery diarrhea, which can be frequent and sometimes explosive. Without antibiotic treatment, the illness can persist from several days to more than a month, with symptoms potentially recurring even after they seem to subside.

The CDC reports that individuals affected by this outbreak range in age from 5 to 86 years old, with the average age being 42. The risk of infection is notably higher for those residing in or traveling to tropical or subtropical regions where the parasite is more prevalent. However, in this particular outbreak, only 45 patients had traveled outside the U.S. before falling ill. This detail has led health officials to suspect the outbreak may be linked to contaminated food, although the precise source remains unidentified.